Soraya Mendez’ car was broken into and had regalia dresses stolen on Wednesday

PORTLAND, OREGON— This past Wednesday Soraya Mendez, a tribal citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, made a cultural performance at a Beaverton school and made a stop on her way home. Mednez is a traditonal American Indian dancer, who has the honor to be a jingle dress dancer.

While she was inside a building, someone broke into her vehicle and stole her regalia dresses and some beadwork that she considers priceless and irreplaceable.

“They’ve just been passed down from my great, great grandmother to my great grandmother all the way down to my sister and me and my brother. They are very important!” Mendez told a Portland television station. “They’ve been in my family a very long time. Those pieces can never be remade.”

Mendez relays it took family members numerous years to make the regalia dresses and she puts the value of items to approximately $3,000.

Mendez is asking anyone who knows the whereabouts of her belongings to contact the Portland Police Department at 503-823-3333.

About The Author

Levi Rickert, a tribal citizen of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, is the publisher and editor of Native News Online. Previously, he served as editor of the Native News Network. He is a resident of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

5 Comments

Irena4 years ago

I jUst hope it is returned in Prisztinę condition can imagine how hearbroken you are As if my Polish national costume made by mother was stolen i would be Heart broken

Linda and Beavers Curran4 years ago

$3,000? More like $10,000, besides being of such value it is priceless. This is such terrible news. Prayers she has it all returned to her.

We had our Aztec dancers regalia stolen also from there car at the hotel they were at.Maybe we need to link all these stories together and spread the word to find the thieves.

Sandi Billington4 years ago

This is the 2nd time I heard of a theft of regalia! The other was at an event a year ago or so! It’s unfathomable that anyone would take these things! So heartbreaking it is! I definitely pray you have them found and returned safely. Such precious items..